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By Ryan Chan
China News Reporter
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The United States and Canadian militaries staged a show of force in the Arctic region earlier this month amid "emerging threats" as Russia and China challenged the allies.
Newsweek has emailed both the Russian and Chinese foreign ministries for comment.
Why It Matters
In recent years, the Arctic has become an emerging zone of global competition, with Russia maintaining a persistent military presence and China expanding its research vessel activities, prompting the U.S. and Canada to strengthen their defense posture.
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Last year, the Pentagon released an updated Arctic strategy calling for greater military buildup and allied cooperation to counter Russia and China. The U.S. military recently held two war games in the region to ensure readiness to deter and defeat adversaries.
What To Know
The U.S. Alaskan Command and the Canadian Armed Forces conducted joint maritime operations in the Bering Sea from September 3 to 5, demonstrating what the command called the "rapid employment of a bi-national force" to address emerging Arctic threats.
The Bering Sea—between Russia's Far East and Alaska—serves as a gateway to the Arctic via the Bering Strait. The U.S. and Canada established the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) to defend North America against attacks.
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According to the Alaskan Command, the operations aimed to showcase U.S.-Canada cooperation and maritime strike capabilities around Alaska through the deployment of American aircraft, including F-35 stealth jets, and the Canadian frigate HMCS Regina.
"The United States and our allies remain prepared to counter adversary attempts to expand influence or military capabilities in the Western Hemisphere and the Arctic region," said Lieutenant General Case Cunningham, head of the Alaskan Command.
Rear-Admiral Josée Kurtz, Canada's Maritime Component commander, said Canada and the U.S. face similar threats to their national security and prosperity. The Regina is part of Canadian forces deployed to monitor the West Arctic for "continental defense."
Meanwhile, the U.S. Coast Guard updated on Chinese research vessel activities in the Arctic. Its icebreaker, USCGC Storis, responded to the Chinese vessels Ji Di and Xue Long 2 on September 5 and 9, respectively, while operating north of the Bering Strait.
The Storis is deployed under Operation Frontier Sentinel to counter "foreign malign influences" in or near Alaskan and U.S. Arctic waters, the U.S. Coast Guard added.
The Xue Long 2 was spotted sailing on the U.S. Extended Continental Shelf (ECS) in the Arctic Ocean, about 414 miles northwest of Utqiagvik on Alaska's northern coast.
The ECS extends beyond 230 miles from the coastline, where the U.S. has rights to conserve and manage resources. By comparison, the U.S. territorial sea and exclusive economic zone (EEZ) extend 13.8 miles and 230 miles from the coastline, respectively.
What People Are Saying
Lieutenant General Case Cunningham, commander of the U.S. Alaskan Command, said in a press release on Friday: "This operation highlights the seamless integration between Alaskan Command and the Canadian Armed Forces, underscoring our shared commitment to homeland defense within the [Alaska Theater of Operations]."
Rear-Admiral Josée Kurtz, Canada's Maritime Component Commander, said in a press release on Friday: "By operating with our United States partners, we demonstrate our collective readiness to respond with agility and resolve in the maritime domain."
The U.S. Coast Guard said in a Facebook post on Friday: "The Arctic is a growing zone of strategic global competition. The Storis is one of several Coast Guard assets that deployed to the U.S. Arctic to protect U.S. sovereignty and monitor the activity of foreign vessels operating in and near U.S. waters in support of U.S. homeland defense and security efforts."
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen how the U.S. and Canada will strengthen their military presence in the Arctic in response to Russian and Chinese activities near their homelands.
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